Chapter 13 #2
“Angel, I’ve come to let you know that…” Julian pulled up alongside their wagon, reining in his horse.
Jerked back to the present, Angelia tried hard to pretend she hadn’t been caught daydreaming.
She was astonished to realize she hadn’t been roused by the sound of the many hooves galloping toward her.
She sighed, closed her eyes momentarily, then looked up. Before her not only was Julian sitting astride his pony, but so too were Swift Hawk and Red Fox. Both Indians sat on their mounts, off to the side of Julian, and Angelia couldn’t help but cast a glance at Swift Hawk.
It was a sweet point in time. For as Swift Hawk gazed at her, it was as though no one else in the world existed. Simply her and him. He did not hide his feelings from her, either, she noted, as she had often heard that Indians were inclined to do.
Certainly, within that gaze, Angelia could feel Swift Hawk’s affection for her, and so full was it, she was almost taken aback by it. Almost. In truth, she wanted nothing more than to leap off this wagon and go straight into his arms. And to the devil with anyone else’s opinion.
But now was not the time, if indeed there ever would be another time.
“What was that you said?” Angelia asked of Julian, tearing her glance from Swift Hawk’s. “I’m sorry, but I didn’t hear you.”
Julian didn’t answer right away. Instead, he stared at her, then to Swift Hawk, then back again at her.
Angelia noted her brother’s response, and her heart sank. Were she and Swift Hawk being that obvious?
Her brother scratched his jaw, looking for all the world as if his beard itched him.
“That’s all right, sis. I’m just stopping by to tell you that the scouts and outriders will be traveling ahead of the caravan, watching for river crossings that will need covering, and scouting out any enemy tribes that might lurk out there. Don’t look for me tonight.”
“But—”
“Can’t be helped.”
Shielding her eyes against the sun, she glanced up at Julian. “All right, but just tonight?” Truth was, it was probable that if Julian were to be gone, so too would Swift Hawk.
“It’ll most likely be a few days before we return with any news.”
News? Oh yes. She had news. Important news. “Jules, I’ve some rather distressing tidings.”
“Oh?” He gazed at her like he expected a confession, but all he said was, “What is it, Angel?”
She cleared her throat, glanced quickly at Swift Hawk, then back to Julian. “Well, I’ve come to learn that there’s a Vigilance Committee with this caravan.”
Julian became suddenly quiet. His face darkened, and he didn’t speak for a good full minute. After a while, he removed his hat and wiped his forehead with his arm. “Who told you that?”
“Mr. Russell, the wagon master. He came to lecture me about being so ‘friendly’ with the Indians, and warned me that the others do not like my teaching Swift Hawk as I’ve been doing. He mentioned the Vigilance Committee at the same time.”
Julian shook his head. “Aw, what does he know about lawmen? And about Indians, for that matter? You’ve only been teaching Swift Hawk reading and writing and arithmetic. Isn’t it like Papa said, ‘There isn’t any place in the house of the Lord for prejudice’?”
Angelia’s heart warmed to her brother, and she beamed at him. Without saying it in words, Julian was letting her know that he would stand by her, no matter what.
She added, “Mr. Russell is part of the Vigilance Committee.”
Again Julian shook his head. “Is he? Well, I’m not afraid of him, or them.”
“I’m not either, Jules. But it does mean that we need to be very careful to whom we speak, and we must make an effort to stay abreast of any news coming into camp, if you know what I mean.”
Julian nodded. “I’ll keep an eye out.”
“I will too. Oh, and by the way,” Angelia said as nonchalantly as possible, “just so that I know, if you’re going to be gone, does that mean that Swift Hawk and Red Fox will be gone, as well?”
“Yep,” said Julian, though Angelia could have sworn he winked at her. “We’ll be together.”
“I see.” Angelia cast a swift glance toward Swift Hawk and spoke to him directly. “What about the lessons we’ve been doing in the evenings? Will you be here for them?”
“Ah, Angel, those’ll have to wait.” It was Julian answering the question. “We’ve more important things to do, especially now that I know there’s a Vigilance Committee here.”
“Yes, that’s true.” She reached out to capture his hand, but he pulled back as though this show of affection might label him a sissy, and she ended up coming away with nothing but air. Settling back on the seat, she said, “You and your friends, you be careful now, hear?”
“Yep, we will, Angel. Thanks for telling me about the committee. I’ll keep watch.” Tipping his hat, Julian reined his horse away from the wagon and galloped off, Red Fox immediately following.
Swift Hawk lingered behind, his dark eyes staring at Angelia. Neither a smile nor a frown touched his lips, and he said nothing. However, with his eyes, he did adore her.
Then he nodded, and turning his pony, he sped away.
Contrary to what Julian had predicted, Swift Hawk came back to camp that very night. He had done it to please her, she knew he had. There he was, under a starlit sky, sitting across the fire from her—along with, of course, Mr. Hudson, his mother and his two children.
Swift Hawk’s eyes never seemed to leave her. To at least keep up appearances and to protect him, and her, Angelia had purposely dragged out her mathematics textbook. Setting it to the side of her now, she awaited the completion of their evening meal.
It was soon done, and Mr. Hudson arose, excusing himself, and left, taking his mother with him, since the elderly woman needed to retire early. However, Mr. Hudson had promised to return. Or, to Angelia’s mind, he had threatened to do so.
Mr. Hudson’s children had remained with Angelia, and they were, at present, sitting quietly by Swift Hawk’s side. Now and again one or the other of them would send Swift Hawk a quick glance, as though they were fascinated with him but were afraid of him at the same time.
At the moment, Swift Hawk was showing the children how to carve a figure from no more than a piece of wood and a crude knife. Angelia watched too. After a very short time, she picked up the mathematics book and opened it to the right page. “Swift Hawk, it is time for our mathematics lesson.”
Swift Hawk nodded and, looking up, placed his knife and the piece of wood by his side.
“Now,” said Angelia, “I want you children to remain here for this, as well. It will serve you well to learn arithmetic.”
Josh, the sandy-haired boy, became instantly mutinous. He complained, “Aw, I don’t need to learn arithmetic.”
“Yes, you do,” replied Angelia. “Now, come close.”
“Naw, I don’t need to learn it, and I won’t, and if you make me, I’ll tell my pa,” threatened Josh.
Angelia smiled and opened her mouth to speak, but was saved the trouble since Swift Hawk spoke up for her. In a low voice directed toward Josh, he said, “A young man should never speak crossly, nor talk back to his elder. To do so brings dishonor to one’s parents and to one’s relatives.”
“Ah, Pa don’t care what I say or do.”
Swift Hawk smiled but held up one finger. “I, too, am an elder to you. And if you ask your father, I think you will find that he does care.”
“But—”
Swift Hawk sent the boy a stern yet kindly look. Josh’s eyes grew wide, but he remained silent.
Meanwhile the young girl, Amy, pushed her hand into Swift Hawk’s and scooted toward him. Innocently, her young eyes smiled up at him, and her voice was high and sweet as she commented, “I like the way you smell. I like Indians.”
Smell? Angelia almost laughed.
But Swift Hawk did not. Instead, he smiled down at the girl, squeezed her hand and petted her head. “You are a fine girl, and you were a good help to Miss Angel tonight. Was she not, Miss Angel?”
“Yes,” said Angelia. “Yes, she was.”
“You see?” Again he grinned at the girl. “Miss Angel and I both saw and appreciate how much you helped with the meal. Someday, you will make someone a fine wife.”
Amy sat up a little straighter and glowed with pride, and only moments later she, with the innocent trust of youth, laid her head down on Swift Hawk’s lap. Within a few minutes she was fast asleep.
He would make a good father. The thought came to Angelia out of nowhere, and as Angelia stared at the young girl who was curled up so na?vely, Angelia knew a sudden desire to have children of her own, children with dark hair and midnight-black eyes.
Angelia’s gaze met and held Swift Hawk’s. They both smiled at each other, and Angelia knew that they shared the same thought. At once, a tender feeling of camaraderie swept through her.
But then… No, this would never do.
Guilt came back to plague her, and her brief happiness disappeared. While she hadn’t exactly decided to end the affair with Swift Hawk, she hadn’t decided to continue it, either. And to smile at him was almost to flirt with him, wasn’t it?
Taking a deep breath, Angelia turned her eyes from Swift Hawk and tried to summon some self-control.
She opened her mouth to speak, but just then Josh stretched his arms over his head, yawned and lay down over the buffalo robe that Swift Hawk had set out next to him.
In a voice barely over a whisper, Josh said, “Sorry, Miss Angel, if I back talked to ya, but I’ll try to do better.
I’ll try and listen now.” He yawned again.
As soon as his head touched the ground, however, Josh too was asleep.
Angelia caught Swift Hawk’s eye. Swift Hawk beamed at her, and Angelia glanced away.
With some internal effort, Angelia wiped the smile from her face and turned back to Swift Hawk. “Well, Mr. Hawk, it looks as though you might be my only student tonight.”
He jerked his head gently to the left, a gesture Angelia was coming to recognize as uniquely his. “So it would seem.” He smiled at her anew before glancing down at the two children. When he raised his gaze to hers, his eyes were filled with passion. “Do go on.”